Overview

The EU and its Member States took a variety of important steps in 2013 to protect and promote fundamental rights by assuming new international commitments, revamping legislation and pursuing innovative policies on the ground. 2013 was also characterised by an intense debate on how best to protect and promote the rule of law within the European Union (EU).

This Focus looks at how to improve the protection of fundamental rights within EU Member States and the Union they are collectively building. It examines how the EU and its Member States, as part of their efforts to assume a pole position in the international human rights apparatus, could embed fundamental rights considerations more firmly in their policy making processes. By way of illustration, the Focus outlines for consideration 20 tools that could form part of a future EU strategic framework on fundamental rights.

Related

This year’s FRA annual report looks at fundamental rights-related developments in asylum, immigration and integration; border control and visa policy; information society, respect for private life and data protection; the rights of the child and the protection of children; equality and non-discrimination; racism, xenophobia and related intolerance; access to justice and judicial cooperation; rights of crime victims; EU Member States and international obligations.

The EU and its Member States took a variety of important steps in 2013 to protect and promote fundamental rights by
assuming
new international commitments, revamping legislation and pursuing innovative policies on the ground. Yet, fundamental
rights violations seized the spotlight with distressing frequency: would‑be migrants drowning off the EU’s coast,
unprecedented mass surveillance, racist and extremist‑motivated murders, child poverty and Roma deprivation.